1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of cleaning bodies of liquid slurries or waste collection systems, such as sewer lines, collection tanks, and in particular to cleaning and removing of solid and liquid materials therefrom.
2. Background Art
Separation systems are used generally by commercial sewer cleaning services for removing unwanted solids from a liquid slurry mixture found in sewer lines to unclog sewer lines or to increase fluid flow that has been restricted due to sediments forming in the sewer line or other debris clogging the pipeline.
Apparatus for cleaning sewers are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,940 teaches a truck mounted sewer cleaning system having the pump that moves the liquid slurry through the system ahead of the separation box in which solids are separated from the slurry.
Other known sewer cleaning systems use a centrifugal separator to separate solids from the liquid slurry. The centrifugal separators are utilized to separate the solids from liquids by centrifugal action, but do not act as a pump to move the slurry throughout the sewer cleaning system. Examples of centrifugal separators are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,312,551, 4,322,868, and 4,134,174.
However, such a centrifugal pump arrangement after the settling container has not been used in the field of sewer cleaning apparatus. Placing a main pump in the fluid flow line after separation is done reduces the amount of abrasive material that travels through the pump, thereby extending the useful life of the pump.
While the above cited references introduce and disclose a number of noteworthy advances and technological improvements within the art, none completely fulfills the specific objectives achieved by this invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a separation apparatus for separating solids from a slurry of liquid and solids of the type found in sewers, ponds, and tanks includes a separation tank. An intake assembly communicates with the separation tank for conveying the slurry through an entrance end into an inlet formed in the tank.
An outlet assembly communicates with the separation tank for conveying decanted liquid in an outlet fluid flow line through an outlet formed in the tank to an exit end of the outlet assembly positioned in a desired location, either back into the sewer system or otherwise. A pump mounted in an outlet fluid flow line is adapted to convey the decanted liquid from the separation tank through the outlet assembly. The tank, intake assembly, and outlet assembly form an airtight, compartmented system when the entrance end of the intake assembly and the exit end of the outlet assembly are sealed.
Unlike the prior art devises, having the pump in the fluid flow path after at least some of the solids separated or precipitated from the slurry reduces the potential for wear of or damage to the pump that draws the fluid or slurry through the separation system.
These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiments of the invention.